CEIBS Alumni

The Acacia is a tree that can be found around the world, and it thrives even in challenging conditions and climates. What better symbol then, for a dynamic venture capital firm that aims to bring the best of China to the world, and vice versa?

This was the thought process that led Edmond Hui (CEIBS Global EMBA 2021) to found Acacia Venture Capital Partners in a bid to bring his knowledge of China to an increasingly fast-paced and interconnected global investment market.

We spoke to CEIBS alumnus Dr. Robert Seiler, Member of the Management Board, Co-Owner, Director Corporate Strategy at The Mobility House, about the impact of his time at CEIBS on both his personal and professional life.

Jumping from presenting PR solutions to delivering sustainability projects for one of the world’s best-known FMCG conglomerates didn’t happen overnight for Jade. It was the culmination of a careful assessment and personal investigation that led her to discover the right opportunities present in Asia.

A new beginning for the CEIBS Global EMBA 2019 cohort, from students to alumni, aligned with the economic recovery and opening in 2023. To carry out the cohort motto #ConnectToGrow, we decided to develop an ongoing series of deep dives into classmates' company visits and learning-with-leisure activities. We nicknamed this whole effort the “Post-G-Program”, designed to help us consistently "check in" with each other, no matter where our post-GEMBA lives take us.

Nearly a year on from this pivotal experience, MBA Admissions sits down with the MBA 2016 alumna to hear her CEIBS story, as well as pearls of wisdom for young professionals also looking to pivot their careers towards their passions.

China’s photovoltaic industry has gone from 0 to 1, transforming from small to strong in the past two decades, and gradually building up an international discourse across the industry in the process. For CEIBS Professor of Entrepreneurial Management Practice Yan Gong, the breakout of China’s PV industry in the past came from “cut-throat” and brutally realistic competition. Only by relying on technology-led, continuous innovation, and calm strategic determination and layout capabilities, were PV companies able to thrive in this red ocean.

The reason this competition was so brutal wasn’t solely due to the rise of China‘s photovoltaic attenuation. In fact, it has been clear that the US (as the representative of various countries’ interests) has continued to suppress China’s photovoltaic industry. Just recently, the US sparked a heated debate about whether to end the tariff exemptions for four Southeast Asian countries. If the resolution passes, tariffs on solar panels imported from Southeast Asia could rise as high as 254%. 

“China’s photovoltaic industry is getting stronger and stronger, and this trend is unstoppable in the long run, so some countries are using some short-term strategies to stop it, but it’s actually a drop in the bucket,” says GEMBA 2020’s Li Qian, who has been in the PV industry for twenty years and started her own business three years ago. Remaining confident in the development of China’s PV industry, she chose not to retreat despite the difficult road ahead; on the contrary, she has figured out how best to survive in this arena of brutal competition by mastering the art of subtraction. 

Being the bridge between Germany and China -- Our interview with GM of E.G.O China and CEIBS Global EMBA alumni Andreas Hornfischer 

To better understand the implications of ChatGPT, we asked two CEIBS Global EMBA students who are at the forefront of the AI industry in China.